Session
Organizer 1: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 3: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 4: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 5: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 3: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 4: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 5: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 1: Anita Gurumurthy, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Mishi Choudhary, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Kritika Goel, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Mishi Choudhary, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Kritika Goel, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: A Roundtable layout is the most suitable for this session, given its focus on interactive dialogue, collaborative exercises, and inclusive participation. This format encourages open discussion, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued. It fosters a conducive environment for brainstorming, collective problem-solving, and the sharing of diverse perspectives, particularly crucial for addressing complex issues like surveillance and digital suppression. The Roundtable layout also supports breakout discussions and encourages participants to engage more actively, thus enhancing the overall effectiveness of the session's objectives in building digital trust and resilience.
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: A Roundtable layout is the most suitable for this session, given its focus on interactive dialogue, collaborative exercises, and inclusive participation. This format encourages open discussion, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued. It fosters a conducive environment for brainstorming, collective problem-solving, and the sharing of diverse perspectives, particularly crucial for addressing complex issues like surveillance and digital suppression. The Roundtable layout also supports breakout discussions and encourages participants to engage more actively, thus enhancing the overall effectiveness of the session's objectives in building digital trust and resilience.
Policy Question(s)
A. How can digital platforms enhance transparency and accountability in moderating conflict-related narratives while safeguarding freedom of expression and minimizing digital suppression?
B. What ethical frameworks and best practices can be established to prevent the misuse of surveillance technologies in conflict zones, ensuring the protection of human rights and privacy?
C. How can multi-stakeholder cooperation be strengthened to promote digital resilience and trust in conflict-affected regions, ensuring the inclusion of marginalized voices and perspectives?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants attending this session will gain a comprehensive understanding of the multi-layered nature of surveillance in conflict zones, encompassing both traditional and digital dimensions. They will hear diverse perspectives from experts, practitioners, and those directly impacted by surveillance and digital suppression, enriching their understanding of the human rights implications and ethical challenges involved. Attendees will explore strategies for fostering digital resilience, learn about the ethical responsibilities of digital platforms, and engage in dialogues that promote transparency and accountability. Through interactive discussions and collaborative exercises, participants will leave equipped with actionable insights and practical tools to advocate for stronger digital rights protections, promote information integrity, and support vulnerable communities in conflict-affected digital spaces. The session will also encourage the formation of cross-sector connections, fostering collaborative approaches to enhance digital trust and resilience in an increasingly complex surveillance landscape.
Description:
Surveillance has become a defining feature of modern warfare, shaping realities on both physical battlegrounds and digital platforms. In conflict zones like Ukraine and Palestine, surveillance extends beyond traditional military tactics such as drones, biometric systems, facial recognition, and data interception, which, while serving security objectives, raise significant concerns about privacy violations, data misuse, and the deepening of humanitarian crises. Simultaneously, digital suppression tactics—like shadow bans, content removals, and algorithmic censorship on social media silence marginalized voices and distort global narratives, limiting the ability of affected communities to share their experiences and seek solidarity. This interactive workshop will explore the complex dynamics of both overt and covert surveillance in conflict zones. By engaging human rights advocates, tech experts, policymakers, and voices from affected communities, the session will provide a multi-dimensional understanding of surveillance's impact on human rights, information integrity, and digital trust. Using innovative approaches such as breakout discussions and interactive polling, participants will collaboratively examine the ethical responsibilities of social media platforms, share best practices for promoting digital resilience, and develop strategies to counteract digital suppression. The session will also focus on fostering multi-stakeholder cooperation to enhance transparency and accountability. By encouraging diverse perspectives and interactive dialogue, this session will present concrete approaches for addressing surveillance challenges and protecting digital rights. The insights and recommendations generated will contribute to broader discussions and support the development of inclusive, rights-based digital governance frameworks.
Surveillance has become a defining feature of modern warfare, shaping realities on both physical battlegrounds and digital platforms. In conflict zones like Ukraine and Palestine, surveillance extends beyond traditional military tactics such as drones, biometric systems, facial recognition, and data interception, which, while serving security objectives, raise significant concerns about privacy violations, data misuse, and the deepening of humanitarian crises. Simultaneously, digital suppression tactics—like shadow bans, content removals, and algorithmic censorship on social media silence marginalized voices and distort global narratives, limiting the ability of affected communities to share their experiences and seek solidarity. This interactive workshop will explore the complex dynamics of both overt and covert surveillance in conflict zones. By engaging human rights advocates, tech experts, policymakers, and voices from affected communities, the session will provide a multi-dimensional understanding of surveillance's impact on human rights, information integrity, and digital trust. Using innovative approaches such as breakout discussions and interactive polling, participants will collaboratively examine the ethical responsibilities of social media platforms, share best practices for promoting digital resilience, and develop strategies to counteract digital suppression. The session will also focus on fostering multi-stakeholder cooperation to enhance transparency and accountability. By encouraging diverse perspectives and interactive dialogue, this session will present concrete approaches for addressing surveillance challenges and protecting digital rights. The insights and recommendations generated will contribute to broader discussions and support the development of inclusive, rights-based digital governance frameworks.
Expected Outcomes
This session aims to produce actionable outcomes that can contribute to ongoing digital governance and human rights discussions. Key expected outputs include a set of practical recommendations for digital platforms and policymakers on enhancing transparency, accountability, and ethical moderation practices in conflict-related content. The session will also foster dialogue among diverse stakeholders, encouraging the development of collaborative strategies to counter digital suppression and promote digital resilience. A comprehensive summary report capturing the session’s insights, proposed strategies, and best practices will be compiled and shared with the community and relevant organizations. This summary report will serve as a resource for informing policy development and advocacy efforts, encouraging sustained engagement beyond the session. Additionally, the workshop is expected to catalyze future collaborations and follow-up initiatives among participating stakeholders to further strengthen digital trust and rights protection in conflict-affected regions.
Hybrid Format: A. Facilitating Interaction
To foster dynamic interaction, the session will incorporate methods such as live polls, Q&A, and breakout discussions to encourage real-time engagement and feedback. These approaches will promote active participation and ensure that all voices contribute meaningfully to the discourse.
B. Designing an Inclusive Experience
Dedicated moderators will oversee both onsite and online interactions, ensuring balanced participation. The session will begin with an interactive icebreaker designed to foster early engagement and rapport-building among participants.
C. Complementary Methods
Collaborative note-taking and brainstorming will be encouraged through interactive discussions and shared documentation. These methods will ensure that diverse inputs are captured and valued, promoting inclusivity and transparency while supporting the session's focus on building digital trust and resilience.